USWNT Graces the Pages of SI: Swimsuit 2019

In case you missed it: we previously did a feature on USWNT co-captain Alex Morgan when she made the cover of the 2019 Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition. In the article, we mentioned that she was handpicked a few of her teammates to join her in an attempt to show the youth and diversity of their team. With that as the goal, she was certainly able to get that message across with her picks: Megan Rapinoe, Crystal Dunn, and Abby Dahlkemper.

The USWNT has had a stellar performance so far in the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. As a show of appreciation, we’ve decided to tell you a little more about them – accompanied by an extensive gallery of these four stars’ SI: Swimsuit photo shoots, of course!

Let’s start off with a recap of 29-year-old co-captain, Alex Morgan.

Who is Alex Morgan?

In a nutshell, Alex is a professional soccer player for Orlando Pride, international player in the French Cup and Women’s Champions League, Olympic gold medalist, World Cup winner, and former US Soccer’s Female Player of the Year. So yes, she’s definitely quite the accomplished player on the soccer field.

Outside of her athletic achievements, Alex Morgan is also many other things: kids’ author, celebrity endorser, actress, and most recently – swimsuit model!

We’ll take a quick look at some of her best shots from St. Lucia, but you can always check out our full Alex Morgan feature article and gallery here.

Alex Morgan gallery:

Next up: fellow co-captain Megan Rapinoe.

Who is Megan Rapinoe?

Outside of the USWNT, Megan plays for and captains one of the NWSL teams based out of Washington–Seattle Reigns FC. Just like Alex Morgan, she spent some months playing for a French team for the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

She first represented the US on the international stage back in 2006 during a friendly match against Ireland. She needed to sit out until 2009, however, due to two separate ACL injuries. Upon her return to the team, she continued to play in 2010 World Cup qualifying rounds and subsequently made the 2011 Women’s World Cup Roster.

Joining Alex at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she was one of the key players help her team to win the trophy. Most notably in a semi-final match against Canada, Megan became the first player –female or male – to score the rare “Goal Olimpico” at the Olympic Games. A “Goal Olimpico” is a corner kick that converts into a goal without being touched by another player.

As for her personal life, Megan came out as a lesbian in mid-2012 and since then has been an outspoken advocate for numerous LGBT organizations. She has been in a relationship with WNBA player Sue Bird of Seattle Storm. The pair were the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of ESPN’s Body Issue. Megan is also the first openly gay woman to be featured in Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit.

Megan Rapinoe gallery:

Third on our list is Crystal Dunn, wing-back/winger for North Carolina Courage and the USWNT.

Who is Crystal Dunn?

26-year-old Crystal’s soccer career started while she was in high school, gaining recognition as a representative both for her school and on a national level. During her 3 high school seasons (missing 2008 due to national team commitments), she scored a whopping 46 goals and delivered 35 assists.

Upon entering college at the University of North Carolina, she also played for the Tar Heels for all 4 years. However, she had to miss part of her junior season to play for the US U-20 Women’s National soccer team at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan (where she joined fellow Tar Heels player, Kealia Ohai).

When she finally joined the pro-soccer league, she was the first overall pick in the 2014 College Draft. Back then, she was selected by Washington Spirit. She stayed until 2017, after which she spent one season playing for Chelsea Football Club Women in the Football Association Women’s Super League, the highest women’s football league in England. She returned to the US the following year to play for North Carolina Courage.

Crystal Dunn played for various youth national teams and in 2013, she received her first call-up to the senior team’s training camp. So far, she has been able to play for the national team during the Algarve Cup, 2015 Women’s World Cup, CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship, and several friendlies.

Crystal Dunn gallery:

And finally, our last USWNT player in SI: Swimsuit is Abby Dahlkemper.

Who is Abby Dahlkemper?

Abby is another young, 26-year-old on the USWNT but this time playing in the center back position. Like her teammates previously mentioned, Abby had a pretty stellar college and national career before playing internationally.

She played for the UCLA Bruins Women’s soccer team and helped them win their very first NCAA National Championship in 2013. The following year, she received the Honda Sports Award – given to the best female collegiate athlete across 12 different sports.

Her national career jumpstarted with the Pali Blues in the W-League, the second-tier women’s soccer league in the US and Canada. When the franchise announced that it would no longer compete, Abby was then drafted by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. In the same year, she played on loan for Adelaide United in the Australian W-League. When the owners of North Carolina FC bought the WNY Flash, Abby was absorbed to play for the North Carolina. She has stayed with them ever since.

Her international career started in 2013 as a member of the US U-23 WNT. She played in the 2013 Four Nations Tournament and the 2014 Six Nations Tournament, helping the team win the championship both times. She received her first call-up to the USWNT in 2016 but had to sit out until June 2017 due to a sepsis infection. Upon her return, she would start 10 of the 11 final games of the year and accumulated the fifth-highest number of minutes on the team. In 2018, she played in the SheBelieves Cup, the Tournament of Nations, and the CONCACAF Women’s Championship.

In May 2019, she made the USWNT final roster for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This is her first World Cup appearance.

Abby Dahlkemper gallery:

I hope you’ve enjoyed this comprehensive gallery of the USWNT posing for the 2019 Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit edition!